Whatì

Whatì Wha Tì Tsõtì Mïne Kö Golàa
First Nation
Flag
Whatì
Coordinates: 63°08′40″N 117°16′22″W / 63.14444°N 117.27278°WCoordinates: 63°08′40″N 117°16′22″W / 63.14444°N 117.27278°W
Country	Canada
Territory	Northwest Territories
Region	North Slave Region
Constituency	Mackenzie Delta
Census division	Region 3
North West Company trading post	1793
Incorporated	4 August 2005
Government
• Chief	Alfonz Nitsiza
• Senior Administrative Officer	Larry Baran
• MLA	Jackson Lafferty
Area[1]
• Land	59.95 km^2 (23.15 sq mi)
Elevation	269 m (883 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	492
• Density	8.3/km^2 (21/sq mi)
Time zone	Mountain (MST) (UTC−7)
• Summer (DST)	MDT (UTC−6)
Canadian Postal code	X0E 1P0
Area code(s)	867
Telephone exchange	573
- Living cost	147.5^A
- Food price index	138.4^B
Sources: Department of Municipal and Community Affairs,[2] Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre,[3] Canada Flight Supplement[4] ^A 2009 figure based on Edmonton = 100[5] ^B 2010 figure based on Yellowknife = 100[5]

Whatì (from the Dogrib language meaning "Marten Lakes"), officially the Tłı̨chǫ Community Government of Whatì^[6] is a First Nations community in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Whatì is located by Lac La Martre, about 164 km (102 mi) northwest of the territorial capital of Yellowknife.

History

With rich and varied wildlife, the area has long been a favoured hunting ground of the Tłı̨chǫ (Dogrib Dene) Aboriginal people. The North West Company established a trading post there in 1793, and many natives began settling there permanently, while they continued to hunt and fish in the area. With the establishment of a trading post at Fort Rae on Great Slave Lake in the late 19th century, most regional trading was accomplished at the HBC and free traders posts there. A trading post at Lac La Martre was not again established until the 1920s. ^[7]

On 1 January 1996, the community officially changed its name from Lac La Martre to the Tłı̨chǫ name "Wha Ti", meaning "Marten Lake," the same meaning as the French and then on 4 August 2005^[3] to the current spelling. Other traditional Tli Cho names for the settlement include Tsoti ('fouled water lake') and Mine Go Kola ('net fishing with houses').^[3]

Demographics

At the 2011 census the population was 492, an increase of 7.0% over the 2006 census.^[1] In 2006 there were 435 Aboriginal people all of which were North American Indians.^[8] In 2012 the Government of the Northwest Territories reported that the population was 519 with an average yearly growth rate of 0.4% from 2001.^[5]

Economy

While trapping, hunting, and fishing continue to be the main economic activities in this traditional community, efforts have been made to develop tourism as well. A fishing lodge was opened, and many tourists come to see the abundant wildlife, including black bears, barren-ground caribou, gray wolves, and eagles. The community takes special pride in the fact that no alcohol is allowed there.

Whatì is part of the Tlicho Government.^[9]

See also

• List of municipalities in the Northwest Territories
• Whatì Airport
• Whatì Water Aerodrome

References

1. Whatì, CG Northwest Territories (Census subdivision)
2. "NWT Communities - Whatì". Government of the Northwest Territories: Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
3. "Northwest Territories Official Community Names and Pronunciation Guide". Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Yellowknife: Education, Culture and Employment, Government of the Northwest Territories. Archived from the original on 2016-01-13. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
4. Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 24 July 2014 to 0901Z 18 September 2014
5. Whatì - Statistical Profile at the GNWT
6. Differences in Community Government Structures
7. Free Traders in Northland Start Again, The Edmonton Bulletin, May 6, 1922
8. 2006 Aboriginal Population Profile
9. Whatì at the Tlicho Government